Abstract: A drum assembly and a method of laying a line (L) onto a drum (D) uses an oscillator device to apply vibrations to the line as it is being wound onto the drum. The oscillator device (17) sequentially increases and decreases the load on the rope as it is being wound onto the drum, causing differential fluctuations in the tension of the line as the line is diverted away in opposite directions from a straight line path to the drum. The vibrations typically cause a rapidly alternating load on the line, which is additional to any load applied to the line during laying of the line onto the drum. This alternating load typically reduces the available stretch in the line, and therefore assists in compaction of the line on the drum.